I want to get a boa constrictor, but I'm not sure which would be best?

[lunafish]

Hello!

I'm not exactly a new snake keeper-I had a California Kingsnake I took in for my sister fourteen years ago when she went away to college, and he died last year at the ripe old age of 23. Two years ago I got my own first snake, a wonderful baby ball python and she is the chillest snake I've ever seen, haha. Now, I'm thinking about getting a boa.

I'm thinking a Brazilian Rainbow Boa, and I know their temperaments vary and they require a ton of humidity-which I can definitely deal with, but I'm not sure what kind of enclosure would work. My BP does great in a regular glass tank covered mostly with aluminum foil and openings for overhead heating and air. I would also like to keep the size at or below 6 or 7 feet. Can anyone give me any suggestions of a kind of boa that would fit this, or tips on keeping a BRB? Thank you!

[Minkness]

Welcome!

I will one day have a lovely BRB from a breeder who's on this forum. Still learning more about them and taking my time though. Not to mention finding space. >_>

Looking forward to pics of your current scaley buddy!

[toddnbecka]

I have 10 Dominican red mountain boas, about the same body type as a rainbow (and similar iridescence too) or a carpet python. Not much bulkier than a rat snake. Temp and humidity requirements are lower than rainbows, and they simply never bite or strike. Worst they'll ever do is musk if startled. Much less commonly available than rainbows, and there's quite a bit of variation in their color, even between day and night. The high reds are the most popular (and pricey) of the variants, but they all share the same mellow disposition.
Here's a few pix, sub-adults a bit over 4' long now:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060623_zpsjkjdnmne.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060623_zpsjkjdnmne.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060625_zpsoilnqp3e.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060625_zpsoilnqp3e.jpg.html)

This one is quite a bit darker:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060630_zpskaar1j8o.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060630_zpskaar1j8o.jpg.html)

Stretched out a bit:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060643_zpsxgu9oq2x.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060643_zpsxgu9oq2x.jpg.html)

High red female, (not mine) mother of a pair of 2013's I received last fall:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/photo3_zpsc571f2ce.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/photo3_zpsc571f2ce.jpg.html)

Pair of younger ones, will be very red when adults:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060556_zpsfbbc79ed.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060556_zpsfbbc79ed.jpg.html)

[Minkness]

Do you plan on breeding those, Todd?

[Albert Clark]

Wow, I never heard of Dominican red mountain boa! Very interesting. Are they swimming under water in the pic?

[toddnbecka]

Ya, I plan on breeding them.
Not too many people have heard of them. They've only been imported for about 5-6 years now, and they only come from one area of the Dominican Republic. I was looking into BRB's when I was researching snakes last year, and ran across them online. I found a couple people selling them and got 2 pairs of high red yearlings last September. Then more recently I ran across someone selling a group of sub-adults, 3m/2f, that should be breeding size this year, though they weren't high reds. When I went to pick them up I also got a high red male that had a prolapsed hemipene. The seller was going to freeze him if we didn't take him. A trip to the vet got that issue taken care of.
They're not underwater, just looks that way in the pic, though they are in aquariums now. The larger sub-adults do like to soak in water bowls fairly often, but I've never seen the younger ones doing it.
Here's an older pic of the 55, less climbing branches and no cichlid stone cave for cover, better setup now:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060462_zpsd0b4028e.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060462_zpsd0b4028e.jpg.html)

Young one when he/she arrived last year:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060460_zps10e6302d.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060460_zps10e6302d.jpg.html)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060461_zps2a126a09.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060461_zps2a126a09.jpg.html)

Eating a f/t quail chick:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060470_zps2a0458b8.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060470_zps2a0458b8.jpg.html)

High red male coming out of his enclosure, I expect the 4 younger ones to look similar when they're grown out:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/toddnbecka/Snakes/P1060655_zps3q3cjguw.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/toddnbecka/media/Snakes/P1060655_zps3q3cjguw.jpg.html)

[bigsnakegirl785]

Boa constrictors and Brazilian rainbow boas are two different species, are you wanting to look into both?

As far as your question goes, I would honestly recommend starting it out in a tub with only as much air flow as you need. Then when it gets a bit of size to it move it to a PVC enclosure, but you can skip the tub altogether and get a PVC straight out if you want, too. Some people have made tanks work, but a tub and PVC would be a whole lot simpler and easier on you.

If you were also wanting to look into boa constrictors, there are a few BCI locales that stay below 6'-7'. Such as Crawl Cay, Hog Islands, Nicaraguan, etc. I believe Peruvian long-tails (Boa constrictor longicauda) also stays right around the 6'-7' mark and Bolivian boas (Boa constrictor amarali) stay small, too. Many people suggest getting a male Colombian BCI, but I'd advise just staying away from them if you don't want a snake getting bigger than 7' at most as they can get quite a bit larger and are often cross-bred with BCC which may lend to their larger size.

[succinct]

Honestly, keeping rainbow boas is not that hard. Most of the advice you give for normal boas is just different. The babies need 80-90% humidity, easy to do just keep them moist and place a water dish over the heat pad. They are very resistant to scale rot, so not a problem with higher humidity. They get RI when kept at lower humidity. Never get them above 85 degrees, so if you live in a hot area or with out air conditioning, you make have a problem in the summer. As they get older, you just need to add a humidity box, just some sphagnum moss in a tupper wear container. 83 degree max and humid box is not that hard for most. They will only really use it during molts.

I will say this. They are nippy when young, but it is mostly a strong feeding response. Which means, when they figure you are not food, they stop biting.

I have two Boa c. longicauda. The little male is really sweet, the female is a little pistol, but is taming down.

They do like higher humidity them other boas, but not much 50-70%. They also can take more temperature changes then most boas, honestly, seen them on the 65 degree side of the cage as much as on the 95 degree side. They will eat, sit on the 95 degree side, then move to the cool side in a few days.

They are easier to handle then the rainbows. The rainbows like to be in a cave or safe spot. If you are wearing a long sleeve shirt, they like to curl up under the shirt. When I watch tv with mine, they just curl up on my chest or wrap around the arm. If there is alot of movement or light, they go deeper.

The B. c. longicaudia are very social. They like to hang on me when I am cleaning or doing stuff. They will watch tv and hang around. They are way more nippy when young then the rainbows, but they are easily tamed. They will hiss more then nip. The hissing tells you it is a fear response.

In saying all of that, personality do vary, I could have very unusual snakes. You may get an unusual snake.

Personally, I love my B. c. longicauda, but I would pick the rainbows over them. Just can not beat the color of the rainbow.

[CUNeuroTox]

I breed BCIs and just recently picked up a Brazilian Rainbow Boa just to have one. I have all my other boas in racks, but have the BRB in a 10 gallon tank, UTH and the usual hides. I use a piece of melamine to seal off 95% of the mesh screen top. Keeps humidity in great. Also use a humid hide, simply a Tupperware container filled with damp sphagnum moss. My BRB has never struck at me, yet even has a better feeding response than my retic. She takes pretty much anything furry hanging off of a hemostat. BRBs in my opinion have a bad rap as a hard snake to handle. Nothing beats their iridescent patterns.